The present invention relates to an information retrieval apparatus wherein a given word or phrase is designated in an electronic-format document (herein-after referred to as simply xe2x80x9cdocumentxe2x80x9d), novel and high-level information retrieval is performed from database on the basis of the designated content, thus providing the user with useful information.
With recent development in miniaturization of computers and prevalence of Internet, formation and inspection of documents have been done electronically with rapid progress. In addition, software for enabling users to rewrite or polish sentences or consult dictionaries on computers have already been put to practical use.
For example, the following service is available to the user who prepares documents or inspect documents by using dictionary retrieval software including a dictionary database stored in CD-ROM, etc.
If the user provides a character sequence of a given word or phrase to the dictionary retrieval software as a retrieval character sequence, data retrieval is effected from the dictionary database stored in the CD-ROM, etc. and detailed information relating to the designated word or phrase can be obtained.
In the prior-art information retrieval using the dictionary retrieval software, etc., the retrieval result is presented to the user after the retrieval from the dictionary database is completed. All retrieval result including information, which is not needed by the user in view of the contents of the currently processed document, is presented to the user as it is.
Consequently, the user has to manually search the great deal of retrieval result in order to acquire his/her desired information. This is very inconvenient to the user.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an information retrieval apparatus wherein if a number of retrieval results are acquired by searching a database, the user can quickly obtain a proper retrieval result and is not required to choose his/her desired information from the retrieval results, and thus a work load on the user can be reduced.
According to the present invention, there is provided an information retrieval apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a document; designation means for designating a desired character sequence in the document input by the input means; retrieval means for searching a database on the basis of the character sequence designated by the designation means and acquiring a plurality of retrieval results; sentence cutting-out means for cutting out a sentence associated with the character sequence designated by the designation means, from the document input by the input means; sentence analysis means for analyzing the sentence cut out by the sentence cutting-out means; keyword generating means for generating a keyword from a sentence analysis result acquired by the sentence analysis means; calculation means for calculating an evaluation value of each of the retrieval results obtained by the retrieval means, with use of the keyword generated by the keyword generating means; and selection means for selecting a predetermined one of the retrieval results on the basis of the evaluation values calculated by the calculation means.
The retrieval results are not presented as they are. Only a retrieval result which is considered to be sought by the user is selected and presented. Alternatively, if all retrieval results are to be presented, they are presented in such a manner that a retrieval result which is considered to be sought by the user may be recognized by the user. Accordingly, the user can acquire his/her desired information with high efficiency. In other words, the information desired by the user is presented without the user sifting retrieval results by him/herself. Therefore, the understanding of the sentences is facilitated, and the load on the user can be reduced, as compared to the prior art.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.